Way way back (we’re talking early in the Reagan years), when I was in first grade, I distinctly remember an exchange in which my teacher, a flustered and exasperated habit-clad nun who went by the name of Sister Helen John, looked at me and announced loudly, “Mr. Hanson, YOU are a contrarian.” It was a statement – an accusation, really – that required a bold retort. And, admittedly, one that confirmed her accusation. “No! I am not!” The genesis of the answer was twofold. First, it was in my nature to go against the grain of authority. Second, I didn’t have the vaguest clue what a contrarian was.
Little did I know that the term ‘contrarian’ would become one that I would embrace and a term that would literally define the direction of my life as well as my professional and academic endeavors as an adult.
Today, I embrace embrace the term “contrarian.’ I love it. And more than ever, I embody the very essence of the word. I AM a contrarian.
Understanding the Contrarian Mindset
We live in a society that cherishes – and, in some instances, demands – conformity. Go along. Get along. Don’t question people or ideas all the time, don’t buck the system, don’t upset the proverbial apple cart. And a phrase that we’ve all grown disgusted by, “Don’t question the science.”
Contrarians do just that. We thirst for the opportunity to question authority and to challenge conventional wisdom and thought, and take pleasure in going against prevailing opinions and trends. We dare to think differently and often make decisions that may seem risky or counter-intuitive to others. And while many feel it safer to operate within the confines of society’s prevailing opinions and trends, I can assure you that the overwhelming majority of true contrarians are far from the “rebels without a clue” we’re often dismissed as. Far from it, in fact. We’re strategists. We are very comfortable being in uncomfortable situations, we challenge the status quo, and we question the ‘how’ and the ‘why’ constantly. If it’s a widely held truth, we want to know the reasoning and logic behind it.
Contrarians are not oppositional, nor are we trying to be different purely for the purposes of being oppositional and different. It’s the drive to find truth and validate conventional wisdom that drives us.
Being a contrarian requires one to cultivate a deep understanding and working knowledge of one’s field or profession. It requires unquenchable curiosity, a passion for critical thinking, the willingness to be uncomfortable, the courage to stand out from a crowd and ask tough questions, and the ability to ‘eat crow,’ or openly and freely admit when one has made a thinking or judgment error. Successful contrarians are individuals who, despite going against the grain, base their conclusions, decisions, and actions upon sound reasoning, a developed analytical framework, and insightful observations.
That is precisely why I absolutely LOVE to challenge the standardized paradigms of firearms and tactics training.
Challenging the Standardized Paradigms of Firearms Training
“I hate the firearms training industry.”
That was the opening line to a keynote speech I presented several years back to an auditorium filled with law enforcement high-liability instructors.
Now, I’d assume that after reading that, you’re asking yourself why, if I hate the industry so much, don’t I go out and get established in a new career?
Simple: It’s because I cannot dream of doing anything else. It’s also because I absolutely LOVE training students, and I love developing master instructors and master trainers. I absolutely live for the “a-HA!” moments that I see on the faces of the students I work with in all capacities. It is a privilege to have built a career out of instructing, training, and coaching shooters with experience levels ranging from absolute beginner to seasoned professional as an absolute blessing: I get to do what I love, and I absolutely love what I do.
But I’ll say it again… “I HATE the firearms training industry.” Does this make sense?
People often refer to firearms instruction and training as an “industry.” Oxford defines “industry” as (the) “economic activity concerned with the processing of raw materials and manufacture of goods in factories.”
That’s a great way to describe the current state of firearms instruction and training. Instructors “process” students through curriculums that more closely resemble assembly lines than educational programs. Wash. Rinse. Repeat.
Students are regarded as homogenized information receptacles. Instructional programs ‘churn and burn’ students through rapidly delivered siloed instructional blocks, then send them out into the world more confused than when they entered the training program. Worse, professional duty carriers (police, security, etc.) are familiarized, tested, and then run through basic qualification programs with little to no emphasis on long-term retention. Moreover, rarely is there any sort of realistic metric to determine the contextual relevance and applicability of what that student was exposed to. Wash. Rinse. Repeat.
I’d like you to pay very close attention to the word that I used in the previous paragraph. I wrote, “Familiarized.” I chose that very word because that’s exactly what most training programs at BEST do. Put another way, the overwhelming majority of instructional programs that teach firearms are woefully inadequate. They do not ‘train,’ they do not ‘teach,’ and they do not ‘instruct.’ They FAMILIARIZE.
Instructors do not actually ‘teach’ their students. They simply ‘loan’ students the information. (That’s assuming the information put forth is actually valid.) In order for ideas and skills to be taught and developed, the student must proactively take ownership of those ideas and skills. There is a scientifically valid way to transfer this and to ensure that these ideas and skills take root and ‘stick’ in the minds of the students. Unfortunately, however, this is often not the case.
Over the next several months, I will be focusing on challenging those standardized paradigms of training. Challenge the “industry” because it needs it. I am certain that along the way, I will ruffle a few feathers. That’s fine with me. I say that because, as a contrarian, it’s what I do. However, I will offer two assurances: first, it’s NEVER personal. Second, if I cannot defend it, I will not say it.
Most importantly, I want to assure readers that the challenges will never be made in vain. Any challenges I make will ALWAYS include a logical explanation of WHY the problem exists, HOW the problem is either created or perpetrated, and how to FIX the problem using logic, human performance research, and real-world examples.
My goal in taking this bold approach is to create and foster dialogue. To break through the abundant biases, the enormous egos, and the ‘know-it-all’ mindsets and to create an environment where those who engage in firearms instruction and firearms training can listen, share, and learn. I’m sure you’ll agree that it’s time to elevate this “industry” into something we can all be proud of.
About Keith Hanson
Keith Hanson is a seasoned law enforcement professional specializing in firearms instruction, tactical operations training, and counterterrorism tactics. With a strong background in neuroscience and psychology, Keith is a co-creator of the innovative NeuralTac™ system. This methodology combines neuroscience, combat psychology, neuropsychology, kinesiology, and educational sciences, drawing from the latest research in human performance, to produce advanced instructional programs for law enforcement agencies and private security firms. It also aims to develop and foster advanced-level master trainers within those organizations. Additionally, as a certified force science analyst, Keith serves as a court-recognized expert witness on use of force matters and provides consultation on legal strategies.
X (Twitter): @theguncoach
It’s about time that somebody fesses up an admits that being contrary to the norm is what creates advancements in the first place. No matter how many idol-worshipers hate us for it. Because it also creates happiness in the second place.
Thanks for standing up and admitting it. You are not alone. 🙂
Well Mr. Hansen, I appreciate your introduction and description of yourself. Successful people in all walks of life share that one particular attribute Sister Helen John noticed in you early on and encouraged you to develop that characteristic.
Looking forward to reading what you have to offer.
Doing any drill is better than failure to practice, but if everyone teaches (and does) all the same thing, they are all unprepared (or I’ll-prepared) for anything outside of their preparations. Better to train to scenarios you may encounter, be it self-defense and thwarting muggers, assailants, rapists, home invaders for city and suburbs, to carjacking defense and quick draw drills, to defense against bears, mountain lions or even culling coyote and other pests for rural folks and hikers.
When companies all adopt the recognized “best practices”, they usually fail to note that doing what everyone else is doing equates to mediocrity. The attitude that there is always a single best way to do things, for all persons in all situations (if indeed a person even half understands the idea that he is trying to copy), is an assurance of never reaching greater heights.
Well stated, Sir.
A nice ad for his training company and concepts. Way back in the early in the Reagan years When I had several years of instructing LEO’s and others under my belt. I would agree that there was and is some what of a cookie cutter approach to training. But then one has to look at what one is trying to accomplish with the time and budget one has to work with. When dealing with people who have no firearms experience Familiarizing ones students is not bad. One on one training is expensive or even a small group lets say three… Read more »
I always keep a Marijuana scented air freshener hanging from my rear view mirror. It allows cops to violate my rights, confuses their drug sniffing dogs, gets the little female half cops moist in their uniforms, allows them a good excuse to beat me up and search my car illegally.
But most importantly it gets them all the retraining they should have had anyway.
Have been fighting this fight for more than 30+ years. Changed my middle name to “Sisyphus.” I recently retired. I don’t know Hanson or his program of instruction. I wish him well in turning this mega-gihugeous oil tanker called “firearms training” even one degree from its present course. He’s welcome to change his middle name, too!
There have been some positive changes to the “industry” over the past five years or so. These changes have been driven largely by AARs and legal precedents. Overcoming the “this is the way we’ve always done it” bias is a bitch, however. Again, a topic that will be discussed.
Looking forward to see what this younger man has to say. I also Question the firearms training industry. Much of what I see is geared more to L.E. or Military, NOT for the general public going about their normal day. Understandable that’s where most of the trainers come from. JMHO, You don’t need to carry enough stuff to invade the Asian land mass, and Seal Team 6 is never going to call you to help them out of a jam. So train for the 80% likely, be familiar to the response for the 19.9% and forget the .01% “what if”.… Read more »
“Much of what I see is geared more to L.E. or Military, NOT for the general public going about their normal day.”
Did you peek at my computer screen??!! I’ve got an upcoming article that addresses this VERY topic! Stay tuned!
Arizona, Stag, myself, and a few others on here embrace the critical thinking that goes with being a contrarian.
Here I am saying I agree so the moron has another one to downvote.
Oregoneistan, where Musicman44mag is always challenging the norm here and any where he has been and will go.
Thank You, Sir! I see you too, we’re downvoted. I brought you up by one.
The opening of this post brought back a memory of a similar school experience. In the latter FDR years, my fourth grade nun said that I was incorrigible. I too bad no idea what it meant, but was sure it wasn’t related to encourageable. I checked the dictionary, and sort of liked what I found. Most of the nuns were OK, this one and one other, I really liked!
Were your nuns armed with rulers? I had one we all used to refer to as “Sr. Mary Rappaknuckle.” She was a crack shot with her yardstick.
Yeah, 18″ rulers! They must have been a “Kinder, gentler” order though, as we always got it on the palm, not knuckles. We had a “Sister Dynamite”, who was mostly given to ranting, raving and threats. Only normal amount of violence. She would quickly become red and look like she was about to explode.
Glad to see you writing here, Keith. I identify with the contrarian mindset, as learning the why and how of things cements the things to be learned in my mind. In the past (long past), if I asked a question about a training point, and the instructor replied with something like, “It’s been proven to work, so just do it,” he immediately lost credibility. In my case, contrary merely means curious; it’s not a personal challenge. I’m always receptive to new ideas, techniques, etc., as long as I understand the why and how, and it works for me.
Great article. Looking forward to the next one! Great to have you here on AmmoLand.
IMOA, just because you attend training that teaches an ABC way of doing it doesn’t mean you can’t adopt or insert your own training to accomplish your own goals related to firearms and self-protection. As an afterthought, purchase an airsoft pistol or rifle to practice drills in the garage or another area to practice your shooting techniques.
Thank you, I feel your insight hits the nail on the head. There are so many obstacles in our pathway today, I’m an old geezer and remember buying my first new gun at 12 – walked in, laid money down, walked out – rode it home on my bicycle. BACK THEN YOU COULD SHOOT ALMOST ANYWHERE, I hunted groundhogs on the railroad track every day (bike paths) Money is an obstacle, finding a shooting range that allows practicing drills, tactics, maneuvers, etc. it is standing behind a line and shooting a target – no rapid firing, no dumps, no quick… Read more »
I agree that training should include more than what is being sold. Familiarization is just the starting point. A person needs to know when they can use a firearm for defense. They need to understand the law of self defense. They have to change their mindset.
Where can we learn more about the NeuralTac™ system ?
lol, no bud you’re not a contrarian. You’re a basic thin blue line conformist…a system pig who hates the freedoms the U.S. flag used to represent.